San Andres in Pictures

San Andres is a place that photographs almost too easily - the water alone runs through every shade of blue and green a camera can hold. This gallery gathers the island's signature scenes: the Sea of Seven Colors from the air, the coral cays, the reef below the surface, and the everyday beauty of beach life and island food. Use it to plan your own shot list, then go make better versions in person.

The colours of the sea

No photograph fully captures the layered turquoise of the San Andres lagoon, but the view from a plane on approach, or from the El Mirador tower at the Botanic Garden, comes closest. Early morning and late afternoon give the richest, least-washed-out colour.

The cays and the reef

The palm-crowned dot of Johnny Cay, the glassy shallows of El Acuario, and the lonely sandbar of Cayo Bolivar are the island's most photographed spots - and for good reason. Underwater, the coral walls and reef fish of the dive sites are a world of their own; a simple waterproof housing or action camera is enough to bring some of it home.

Island life

Beyond the postcards, the best images of San Andres are the human ones: a plate of fried fish at The Fisherman's Place, boats drawn up on the sand, colourful clapboard houses on La Loma, and a coco loco sweating in the shade. These are the pictures you will look at longest when you are home.

A note on photographing responsibly

Ask before photographing people, especially in the Raizal neighbourhoods; the island's residents are not scenery. Underwater, never move or stress marine life for a shot, and keep your fins and camera off the coral. The best travel photographs are the ones that leave the place exactly as you found it.

Ready to see it for yourself? Start with the tours & excursions and the travel guide.